The Market
Theater is located down Post
Alley at 1st & Pike in historic Pike Place Market
behind the world famous Gum Wall! It's a 200 seat
theater with a full bar available. Unexpected
Productions is proud to be part of the Pike Place
Market for over 20 years. UP has been serving the
Seattle comedy scene for over 30 years!

DIRECTIONS: From Seattle
take I-5 N to Lynnwood WA. 44th Ave W exit. From 44th Ave go left on
196th St SW, pass Hwy 99. Left on 68th Ave W. Pass main entrance to EDMONDS
COMMUNITY COLLEGE 200th) Go right on 204th. Follow to end then go right.
BLACK BOX THEATRE is there in Mukilteo Hall.map

JAY -
First, I want to say improv duos aren't an original
thing. Duo shows have been popping up all over the
nation. Our Seattle showcase may be one of the longest
consistently running showcases around, but improv duo
performances have been around quite a while. Even here
in Seattle in the 90's UP ran a duo Theatresports on
Sunday nights for a while. It wasn't revolutionary. We
did it out of necessity. We had trouble casting a Sunday
show, so 2 on 2 helped solve the problem.

The UP
Duo Improv Showcase in Seattle Started Thursday Aug 21,
2008. I started managing Unexpected Productions at
the end of 2006. At the time, we didn't have anything
going on Thursday nights other than an occasional
student showcase. I thought a night where the improviser
could sign up to do whatever they wanted, as long as it
strives for entertainment, was a good fit for our improv
company, especially since we had already done everything
else. I got lots of excitement from the UP cast, then
started signing people up way in advance to be part of
the show. It opened Thursday, 8/21/08. It was only
supposed to run about 3 month, to October 2008. Then,
because of the popularity with the performers (certainly
not the audience!) we extended it through Feb 2009.
Other improv companies and upper level students caught
wind of it and wanted to be part of it, so it kept
getting extended. Then we wanted to start a long form
night. The new long-form night began taking over
Thursday's in April 2010 and the Duo Improv Showcase was
moved to Wednesdays, Playground, formally on Wed's,
moved to Mondays. All 3 have stayed on this night ever
since.

Q - Who was your Duo inspiration?

JAY - I've always been a big fan of duos, comic or
other, all my life. I grew up loving Hope and Crosby
road movies, and still watch them. As a kid, Abbott and
Costello, Martin and Lewis, Laurel & Hardy were also
influences but not as much as Cheech and Chong. I loved
those guys. I appreciate the chemistry and dynamics of
duos and teams. Buddy cop movies and dancing duos also
inspired me. Another one of my favorite childhood duos
is Alan Alda and Mike Farell in MASH as Hawkeye and
Hunnicutt. I'm a big fan of witty banter while operating
on a gunshot wound victim.The first live improv duo
I saw in the late 80's was Scott Creighton and Randy
Dixon. (It was not Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. I saw
them later at Bumbershoot!). They were a Theatresports
team that kept winning and coming back for over 20
consecutive weeks. They blew my mind. In the 90's I
toured the seedy underbelly of a stand up comedy circuit
as part of a duo Capp & Hitt with my friend from college
Mike Capp. Some of the shows were rough but it seasoned
me as a performer.

Q - How has duos evolved
over the past 10 years?

JAY - In the beginning,
we would have 3 to 4 duos performing on that night. It
was run like a professional Stand-up Comedy show. We'd
have one or two openers doing around 10 or 15 min,
feature act for 20-30, then the headliners doing 30-45
min. As more and more people wanted to be a part of it,
I increased the number of acts and cut down the time.
Tournaments were added and happen every couple of years.
Now It's run more like an open mic, capped at around 12
with a group scene that offers the singles and duos who
did make it up that night a chance for stage time, no
matter the experience level. We also have monthly theme
nights too. The general audience has found it as well.
In the earlier days, it wasn't uncommon for us to have 5
or 10 paying audience members. Now it's not uncommon for
us to have over 60.

Q - What do you hope the
performers take away from being a part of Duos?

JAY - It's fun to watch a green improviser grow into a
solid performer. I also like watching the veteran
performers try new things and dust off old skills that
have lied dormant. The best thing is it gives the
newbies a chance to work with the vets. This usually
makes for a great act because the newbies are focused
and on top of their game while the vets are are on their
game as well trying not to let down the rookie.

Q - What should the audience expect to see at Duos show
and what do you hope they walk away with?

JAY -
They will expect to see a well rounded show with
spectacularly magical improv scenes mixed with complete
and utter train wrecks! Just like many open mics and
even karaoke, it will always be a good time and is never
a waste of money. Tickets and drinks are really cheap
that night.

Q - Please describe the Duos
community?

JAY - The duo community represents a
microcosm of Seattle's entire improv community. It often
has the same feel of an improv festival. You'll see
performers and students from every improv organization
and group around (not just UP). You'll find traveling
improvisers looking for a venue to perform. There'll be
may duos working on their act they may be performing on
a future weekend or for a festival. It's very welcoming.
Many times someone who comes in with out knowing anyone,
leaves with connections and friends. It's even lead to
the development of new groups and shows. We have a
yearly International Trio night that happens during our
big improv festival.

Q - Where do you think Duos
will be in the future?

JAY - I don't know. Like
improv, I'm sure it will evolve the way it's supposed
to. I don't want to control it's journey! Maybe we'll
start getting some celebrities. I don't know!

8

The Market Theater is located below this
building (Economy
Market) down the alley at the corner of 1st and Pike.Above the Market Theater

Gum WallOutside the Market Theater2nd germiest
place in the world next to the Blarney Stone in Ireland. Started by people
standing in line for Theatresports.

On stage at The UP Improv School in Georgetown - by Unexpected
Productions Seattle.

Improv Seattle is
produced by Unexpected Productions and is dedicated to bringing the comical
arts together through collaborative performance. Unexpected Productions is a non-profit 501c-3
corporation1428 Post Alley, Seattle
WA 98101 - 206-587-2414